Improvement in imitation buttons



W. H. SHURTLEFF.

Self-fastening lmation Button.

N0. 123,299, PatentedJan`.30,18-7Z.I

UNITED STATES PATENT ErrcE.

IMPROVEMENT IN' |M|TAT|oN BUTTONS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,299, dated January 30, 18,72.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known th at I,W1LLLAM H. SHURTLEFF, of the city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Imitation Button, especially intended for ornamental purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawing furnished and forming a part of the saine, is a clear and true description thereof.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l represents a congress gaiter-shoe with a row of my imitation buttons applied after the manner of buttons for the purposes of ornamentation. Fig. 2 represents one of my buttons. Fig. 3 represents the same in an unfinished condition. Fig. 4 represents one of the sheet-metal blanks from which, by bending, one variety of my buttons can be made.

The blank may be described as a cup-sh aped disk, A, having a straight arm, a, extending radially from one side of its periphery. At the outer end there are three prongs or shanks, C, two of which extend outward at right angles and the other on a line paralled with the arm. At the point from which these three shanks radiate the metal is out in a semicircular form, which subsequently constitutes the sh ank-plate d. In its general form it resembles the lacingbutton patented by me June 5, 1866, No. 55,431.

To explain the precise forni of my imitation button, I will describe the method by which they can be made from the blanks.

The arm a is first bent square across the under side of the disk A, with as sharp an edge as possible, and then backward, after which the prongs are bent downward, as shown in Fig. 3. After the button has been inserted in the desired position, with the prongs forced through the fabric and then clinched inward, the points will occupy a common central position. rIhe disk or button-head is then forced down until it completely covers the shankplate, and is, when properly set, at every portion of its periphery or edge in contact with the fabric. The disks may be molded in any desired form by dies, in a manner well known, and can, when ready for setting, be enameled in black or other colors, or plated with silver, nickel, or gold. An exterior face of paper, horn, rubber, or other'suitable material may be secured to the disk when buttons of peculiar style are required.

I am aware that so-called f paper-fasteners77 have heretofore beenn made with cup-shaped disks and with two prongs extending' radially from the edge ofthe disk, which are both bent inward half way, thence outward at right angles to the under face of the disk, the two prongs then constituting a split shank with a point on each half, by which it can readily be forced through any thin fabric. After having been so forced through the fabric the two pointed Shanks are then bent outward from the center, thus securing the several pieces of fabric to be united between the outward-extending prongs and the under side of the button-head. Such a device would not serve for the general purposes for which my imitation button is intended, for the two sharp points would always be exposed on the under side and be more or less liable to engage with any object with which they might come in contact, and again the degree of security which would result from two prongs bending outward would be much less than would result from bending the saine two prongs inward and inclosing between the two the portion of the fabric interposed.

I am also further aware that clasps have heretofore been made consisting of a cup-shaped disk and two pointed prongs extending outward from opposite sides of the disk, and that these two prongs, when bent downward, are readily forced through paper or other fabric, and, when subsequently bent inward, afford a secure and desirable means for fastening two or more pieces of fabric. As an ornamental imitation button such a clasp would be practically worthless, for the reason that the disk will be forced more or less out of shape during the setting' of the clasp and the clinching of its prongs, as all the strain of the operation is brought directly upon the disk. In setting such clasps, unless the prongs, perchance, commence to bend at the very edge of the disk, they will flatten outward and destroy the symmetry and regular outline of the button, as well as prevent its edges from coming in close Contact with the fabric throughout its entire periphery.

In setting my imitation button the strainall comes on the shank-plate d, and then after the clinching is completed the disk is forced down, and the mass ot' metal composing the shankpiate and neck is forced upward into the concavity. Instead ot' having three prongs for c1inching,two will answer as Weil for some purposes, particularly When the functions of a clasp are required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Witnesses:

J. H. STEVER, Guo. W. LLlorr. 

